The present invention relates to a conveyor controlling device for controlling driving of local zones that are divided along the transferring direction of a conveyor and can be independently driven, and a conveyor apparatus.
Conventionally, this type of conveyor apparatus is provided with a conveyor having respective zones which are divided along the transferring direction of the conveyor and can be independently driven. A sensor and a solenoid valve for controlling transmission of power of a drive motor are disposed in the respective zones. The sensors and solenoid valves are connected to a central control panel via wires. The control panel controls the solenoid valve on the basis of signals from the sensors.
However, a large number of wires are required between the control panel and the solenoid valves and sensors. The wiring is thus complicated, and increases the difficulty of installing the conveyor apparatus at the installation site.
Therefore, as has been described in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 172549 of 1995, a construction is known, in which a sub-controller internally having a CPU is installed in each respective zone. Each sub-controller includes a sensor and a solenoid valve connected to its respective zone. Each sub-controller is connected to a central controller panel.
However, as has been described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 172549 of 1995, if a central controller panel is provided in addition to a sub-controller, settings should be made both in the central controller panel and sub-controllers. The need for multiple settings increases the difficulty and production cost in using the conveyor.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problems, and it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a conveyor controlling device and a conveyor apparatus, which can be simply installed and can reduce production costs.
A conveyor controlling device according to the invention has respective zones which are divided along the transferring direction of a conveyor and can be independently driven, which is disposed in said respective zones, which comprises local load inputting portions each secured corresponding to a local zone, by which whether or not a load to be transferred exists is inputted in said local zone; a plurality of downstream load inputting portions secured corresponding to selected downstream zones, by which whether or not a load to be transferred exists is inputted in said corresponding zone; and a means for controlling so as to stop the drive of a corresponding local zone when a signal instructing that there is a load to be transferred is inputted from all of said local load inputting portions and downstream load inputting portions, and so as to drive the corresponding local zone when a signal is not inputted, which instructs that there is no load to be transferred, in any of the local load inputting portions and downstream load inputting portions.
The conveyor controller device inputs whether or not a load to be placed in a local zone exists into a local load input portion, inputs whether or not loads to be placed in a plurality of selected downstream zones exist in a plurality of downstream load input portions, stops driving the local corresponding zones when a signal is inputted, from all of the local load input portion and downstream load input portions, that a load exits, and drives the local corresponding zone when no signal is inputted, which instructs that no load exists in either the local load input portion and downstream load input portions, whereby it is possible to control the respective zones of a conveyor with only a simple construction.
A conveyor controlling device according to the invention is featured in that, in addition to the conveyor controlling device as set forth above, the controlling means is provided with an OR circuit which generates an output when an output is issued from the local load inputting portion and any one of the downstream load inputting portions, and an operational amplifier which drives a local zone when an output is issued from said OR circuit.
A conveyor controlling device according to the invention includes, respective zones which are divided along the transferring direction of a conveyor and can be independently driven, comprises local load inputting portions each secured corresponding to a local zone, by which whether or not a load to be transferred exists is inputted in said local zone; a plurality of downstream load inputting portions secured corresponding to selected downstream zones one after another, by which whether or not a load to be transferred exists is inputted in said corresponding zone; a downstream load selecting switch for turning on and off the input of a signal from the downstream load inputting portions; and a means for controlling so as to stop the drive of a corresponding local zone when a signal instructing that there is a load to be transferred is inputted from all of said local load inputting portions and downstream load inputting portions selected by said downstream load selecting switch, and so as to drive the corresponding local zone when a signal is inputted, which instructs that there is no load to be transferred, in any of the local load inputting portions and downstream load inputting portions which are selected by said downstream load selecting switch.
The conveyor controller device inputs whether or not a load to be placed in a local zone exists into a local load input portion, inputs whether or not loads to be placed in a plurality of downstream zones selected by the downstream load selecting switch exist into a plurality of downstream load input portions, stops drive of local corresponding zones when a signal is inputted, from all of the local load input portion and downstream load input portions selected by the downstream load selecting switch, that a load exits, and drives the local corresponding zone when no signal is inputted, which instructs that no load exists in either the local load input portion and downstream load input portions selected by the downstream load selecting switch, whereby it is possible to control the respective zones of a conveyor with only a simple construction.
A conveyor controlling device according to the invention, in addition to the conveyor controlling device as set forth in the first paragraph of this section, the controlling means is provided with an OR circuit which generates an output when an output is issued from the local load inputting portion and any one of the downstream load inputting portions selected by said downstream load selecting switch, and an operational amplifier which drives a local zone when an output is issued from said OR circuit, whereby zones of a conveyor can be controlled by OR circuits and operational amplifiers with a simple construction.
A conveyor controlling device according to the invention, in addition to the conveyor controlling device as set forth in the foregoing paragraphs further comprises a plurality of downstream FULL inputting portions which are provided in downstream zones and input FULL from the corresponding zones; wherein said controlling means outputs a FULL signal when a signal instructing that there is a load is inputted from all of the local load inputting portions and downstream FULL inputting portions, wherein by inputting FULL from zones corresponding to the downstream FULL input portions, a FULL signal is outputted when a signal is inputted, from all of the local load input portions and downstream load input portions, which instructs that a load exists, and FULL can be easily detected.
A conveyor controlling device according to the invention which, in addition to the conveyor controlling device as set forth in any one of the first four paragraphs of this section, further includes a plurality of downstream FULL inputting portions which are secured corresponding to the downstream zones one after another and input, from zones corresponding thereto, that the zones are FULL; and a downstream FULL selecting switch for turning on and off input of a signal from the downstream FULL inputting portions, wherein said controlling means outputs a FULL signal when a signal instructing that there is a load is inputted from all of the local load inputting portions and downstream FULL inputting portions selected by said downstream FULL selecting switch. Therefore, by inputting FULL from the zone corresponding to the downstream FULL input portions selected by the downstream FULL selecting switch, a FULL signal is outputted when a signal instructing that a load exists is inputted from all of the local load input portions and the downstream FULL input portions selected by the downstream FULL selecting switch, whereby FULL can be easily detected.
A conveyor controlling device according to the invention includes, in addition to the conveyor controlling device as set forth in any of the foregoing paragraphs, further comprises a plurality of downstream FULL CANCEL inputting portions which are secured in downstream zones and input from zones corresponding thereto that the zones are not fill, wherein said controlling means outputs a FULL CANCEL signal when a signal is inputted, which instructs that a load exists in neither of the local load inputting portions or the downstream FULL CANCEL inputting portions. Therefore, by inputting FULL CANCEL from the zones corresponding to the downstream FULL CANCEL input portions, a FULL CANCEL signal is outputted when a signal is inputted, which instructs that no load exists in either of the local load input portion or the downstream FULL input portions. Thus, FULL CANCEL can be easily detected.
A conveyor controlling device according to the invention, in addition to the conveyor controlling device as set forth in any of the first six paragraphs in this section, further comprises a plurality of downstream FULL CANCEL inputting portion which are secured corresponding to the downstream zones one after another and input, from zones corresponding thereto, that the zones are not FULL; and a downstream FULL CANCEL selecting switch for turning on and off an input of a signal from said downstream FULL CANCEL inputting portion; wherein said controlling means outputs a FULL CANCEL signal when a signal is inputted, which instructs that there is no load in either of the local load inputting portions or the downstream FULL CANCEL inputting portion selected by the downstream FULL CANCEL selecting switch. Therefore, by inputting FULL CANCEL from a zone corresponding to the downstream FULL CANCEL input portion selected by the downstream FULL CANCEL selecting switch, a FULL CANCEL signal is outputted when a signal is inputted, which instructs that no load exists in the local load input portion and the downstream FULL CANCEL input portion selected by the downstream FULL CANCEL selecting switch, whereby the FULL CANCEL can be easily detected.
A conveyor controlling device according to the invention, in addition to the conveyor controlling device as set forth in any one of the foregoing paragraphs, it further comprises a drive input portion which inputs a signal forcedly driving a local zone, wherein said controlling means forcedly drives the local zone when a signal is inputted in said drive input portion, whereby forced removal of the load is enabled by inputting a signal into the drive input portion.
A conveyor controlling device according to the preceding paragraph which, in addition to the conveyor controlling device as set forth in the preceding paragraph and any one of the first eight paragraphs of this section, further comprises a drive input portion which inputs a signal forcedly driving a local zone, and a drive selecting switch for turning on or off an input of a signal from said drive input portion; wherein said controlling means forcedly drives the local zone when a signal is inputted in said drive input portion in a state where the drive selecting switch is turned on, whereby if a signal is inputted into the drive input portion in a state where a signal from the drive input portion is inputted by the drive selecting switch, the local zone can be forcedly driven, and forced removal of a load is enabled by inputting a signal into the drive input portion.
A conveyor apparatus according to the foregoing paragraph further including a plurality of zones along the transferring direction of the conveyor, which are divided into a plurality along the transferring direction and can be independently driven; and conveyor controlling devices described in any one of the foregoing paragraphs of this section, which are disposed corresponding to these zones, whereby respective actions can be brought about.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.